Norwin boys capture Section 3-3A volleyball title with narrow win over Penn-Trafford

By: Dave Mackall
Thursday, May 9, 2024 | 10:53 PM

It took every bit of energy and drive Thursday night for Norwin to hold off Penn-Trafford’s relentless energy and drive in the final regular-season boys volleyball match and escape with a marathon 3-2 victory that clinched the WPIAL Section 3-3A championship.

“It’s good to be able to win the section going into the playoffs,” Norwin coach Mike Palashek said. “It’s good for our seeding. We should get a 3 seed and a bye.”

The WPIAL will announce its playoff seedings in Class 3A and 2A on Friday in advance of first-round matches beginning Monday.

In a battle of top WPIAL teams, Jackson Genicola registered 20 kills, and Ben Tygielski added 13 to lead No. 4 Norwin (15-1, 10-0), which entered the night just one game ahead of No. 5 Penn-Trafford in Section 3-3A.

The Knights disposed of P-T in the tightly contested match by winning three of the five games. They survived an intense 31-29 loss in the fourth game, setting the stage for a 15-8 victory in the fifth-and-deciding set.

Norwin won the match by scores of 25-22, 19-25, 25-23, 29-31, 15-8.

“One of the best things we do is we’re ball control,” Palashek said. “We’ve got to be insistent all the time. We’ve got to be tenacious on defense. And serving is huge. We messed up the first two games serving-wise, making too many errors. We had to reel that in a little bit.”

Both teams came in having won seven consecutive matches.

Norwin hadn’t lost since dropping a 3-1 decision to Butler on April 15. A day earlier, the Knights escaped Penn-Trafford with a similar 3-2 victory to Thursday’s outcome in their first meeting with the Warriors, who hadn’t lost since then.

“The last game we played them five (games) at their place. I figured it would go five at this place,” Palashek said. “Same intensity. Back and forth.”

Troy Horvath finished with 38 assists for Norwin.

Penn-Trafford (13-3, 8-2) was led by Brad Heinbaugh’s 18 kills. Keith Otto added 15, and Owen Gisi chipped in 10 to go with four blocks.

“Great effort,” Penn-Trafford coach Jim Schall said of the Warriors. “We had a great comeback in Game 4.”

The extended volleys took their toll on both teams, but Penn-Trafford struggled in the fifth game after surviving the fourth.

“It’s possible,” Schall said when reminded of the extra effort from his players and how it could’ve drained their energy levels with a game remaining. “We put a lot into the end of Game 4. They’re frustrating to play against. They dig a lot of balls. We turned it around and got back in the match, so I’m pleased with that.

“Just needed one more comeback.”

Tags: Norwin, Penn-Trafford